The project has nearly doubled the size of the passenger departure area with eight gates and seating for 700 people. Other upgrades include dual lane security screening, three multi-screen digital displays, new food and beverage outlets, a renovated check in area, expanded baggage systems, new bathroom amenities and the addition of a 8,600ft2 second level. The upgrade also saw the construction of a dedicated customs and immigration area allowing the airport to cater for international flights. The project has expanded Karratha Airport’s capacity to allow it to handle approximately 1.2m passengers a year.

The project caps off over A$100m (US$70m) worth of capital investments in the airport by the Karratha council, including a renewal of the tarmac, upgrades to power and an award winning recycled water program.

Long said, “We are home to the second busiest airport in Western Australia, with in excess of 800,000 passenger movements per year.

“It is a big economic enabler for our region, connecting our remote city to the rest of Australia and the world. With a fly-in fly-out workforce for major projects and peak maintenance periods, we have a strong passenger base for which to continue to grow the airport into the future.

“The Pilbara region is also a largely undiscovered tourist gem with Karratha Airport the gateway to amazing sites including the historical town of Cossack, Karajini national park and the stunning Montebello Islands,” added Long.

Chris Adams, CEO, City of Karratha, said, “Our community has been telling

us loud and clear that they want more connectivity including direct flights to the East Coast and international connections.

“We now have the capacity to attract international flights to the region, not just to service our residents but also to help in the growth of the Pilbara as a unique tourism destination.

“The airport team is also working to entice the airlines to build premium passenger lounges to service the numerous frequent flyers who are frequent visitors to Karratha Airport.”

About Author

Helen has worked for UKi Media & Events for nearly a decade. She joined the company as assistant editor on Passenger Terminal World and since progressed to become editor of five publications, covering everything from aviation, logistics and e-commerce to meteorology. She has a love for travel and property and has redeveloped three houses in three years. When she’s not editing magazines, she’s running around after her two boys and their partner in crime, Pete the pug.

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This week, UK-based airport operator MAG announced its plans to offer to fund its EU employees’ applications to acquire settled status after Brexit, which takes place in March 2019. But how many of MAG’s 6,000 UK employees are from the EU?